Current water-wheel



CURRENT WATER WHEEL.

W. AITKTEN.

Patentad Aug. 26, 1862.

THE-NORRIS PFTBRS cq.. Puma-umonvusumufml o c UNITED STATES PATENTormoa.

IVALTER AITKEN, OF NEWARK, ILLINOIS.

CURRENT WATER-WHEEL.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 36,265, dated August 26, 1862.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WVALTER AITKEN, of Newark, in the county of Kendalland State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement inCurrent Water Wheels; and I hereby declare that the following is a fulland exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, and to the letters and figures marked thereon, which form apart of this specification.

In the drawings aforesaid Figure 1 represents a plan view of myinvention below the section line 00 in Fig. 2. Fig. 2 represents a sideelevation of the same, and Fig. 3 shows the construction and arrangementof the floats or buckets marked a, as attached to the wheel A.

Similar letters in the several figures in the drawings denotecorresponding parts of my invention.

The nature of my invention consists in having a current water wheel soconstructed as to be readily raised and lowered to adapt it to the riseand fall of the stream and to be easily controlled in other respects,namely as to the velocity and power of the wheel, by allowing the floatsjust to dip in the current or by submerging them entirely within it.

To enable others skilled in the art to understand the construction andoperation of my improved current Water wheel, I will now proceed todescribe the same with par-- ticularity.

In the accompanying drawings M M represent the upright frame constructedof timbers of suitable size, which supports the vertical axis, marked J,of the water wheel A, and the gearing C, the lower part of which, M,lies in the bed of the stream.

a represents loose pendant floats or buckets, of any desired size orshape, hanging upon the hinges a, which floats or buckets may beattached to the wheel A, either above, below or on the edge thereof,and 1) represents rods or braces, whereof one end is fastened firmly tothe floats a, and the other rests against the wheel A, and thus keepsthe floats in a vertical position in the current.

B represents a cogged or gear wheel, fixed upon its axis 0, which passesthrough J at rightangles; and D, which may be thrown into gear or out ofgear with B by means of the lever H or its equivalent, is attached atone end to the frame, and at the other is of a semicircular form, fittedwith cogs or teeth exactly adapted to those on the circumference of B.

cl is a ratchet abutting on the teeth of B, thereby securing it againsta reverse motion.

C and E represents the gearing whereby motion is communicated to theshaft S.

My improved water wheel operates as follows: Being fixed in position inthe stream, the wheel A is-adjusted so as to lie just above the surfaceof the water, the floats, a, being suspended in the stream. The currentmoving to the left and pressing against the floats, which are kept in avertical position by the braces 6, moves the wheel A and its axis Jaround upon its supports. When the floats pass around to the oppositeside of the wheel, and so present their reverse side to the current,being without support they swing back upon their hinges and float in ahorizontal position upon the surface, causing no resistance.

Should the stream rise, so as to render it expedient to elevate thewheel A, the lever H is raised, bringing D in connection with B, when Bis revolved with its axis 0, thereby winding the chain 6 around the axis0, and thus raising A to the requisite height, where it can be held byinserting a support in 0.

My invention may also be used as a tide wheel, the ebb and flow of thetide being equally effective in propelling it.

By changing the relative positions of the power wheel A and the gearingC E and constructing the floats a of cloth or other light and suitablematerial my invention may also be used very advantageously as a windmill wheel, the principle being equally adapted to the air current andwater current.

I claim as my invention I 1. The arrangement of the horizontal powerwheel A, the floats a, and the braces b, as connected with A in themanner described.

stantially as and for the purposes delineated and set forth.

WALTER AITKEN.

Witnesses:

ALBERT CooK, -2 NATHAN G. DAVISSON.

